“I started collecting art when I met Linda,” explained Dr. Alan Rich, whose wife, Linda, then disputed that proclamation, asserting that his collection began much earlier. Dr. Alan and Linda Rich have been admiring and collecting art since they were young. Alan, who more commonly goes by Rico, began his passion for collecting by acquiring maps and sorting through his father’s National Geographic collection. Meanwhile, Linda’s love for collecting began with stamps and coins. She also regularly visited the Mint Museum in Charlotte, North Carolina, which further developed her love for art. Once the two met, their shared appreciation for art and collecting grew and was facilitated by their time as medical volunteers in various African countries. Rico worked as an ophthalmologist, while Linda assisted with her training as an occupational therapist. The two aided underserved communities in need of eye care, offering varying and necessary surgeries to the local people. These medical volunteer trips brought the couple in contact with a world of art very different —both visually and conceptually — from the one we are familiar with in the West. “The art shows an appreciation for the interconnection of life,” said Rico, pointing out the importance that many of these cultures put on unity among all creatures. On their trips, the Riches were fortunate enough to begin collecting this type of work from local artists. All of the pieces in their collection are one-of-a-kind and either came from local markets or were gifts from patients. Each piece is displayed proudly in the Riches’ home, giving any visitor the sense that they have walked into a very personal museum. The natural next step — it would seem — would be for this work to be displayed in an actual museum. Rico and Linda have been involved with the Polk Museum of Art for nearly 30 years. Through their involvement, the couple met Dr. Alex Rich (no relation), the executive director and chief curator at the Museum. When he admired the Riches’ collection firsthand during a social visit with the couple at their home, he broached what he thought was the far-fetched idea of exhibiting their collection at the Polk Museum. To Dr. Rich’s surprise, Linda and Rico were receptive to the idea, despite their modesty about their collection. This was two years ago, and hard work has gone into organizing and curating a show based on their three-decade-built collection since. The resulting exhibition, Spirits: Ritual and Ceremonial African and Oceanic Art from the Dr. Alan and Linda Rich Collection opens this month at the Polk Museum. The Riches’ collection is large, so deciding which pieces should be included in the show was no small task. “I’m not sure exactly how many pieces we have in total,” said Linda. In the end, 110 pieces were chosen to be displayed at the Museum, each coming from one of eight countries, including Papua New Guinea, Kenya, Mali, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, and Mozambique. A show like this hasn’t been done at the Polk Museum of Art before. This is why Dr. Alan and Linda Rich and Dr. Alex Rich believe it’s so important to do. “African art has influenced so much Western art and all that has followed,” Linda said, citing many well-known artists from the early 20th century, including Picasso, Braque, and Brancusi. The Riches hope that having their collection on display will encourage others to learn more about non-Western art and the influence it has had on Western culture. They believe that by gaining a better understanding of these cultures, individuals can appreciate and enjoy them more. Spirits: Ritual and Ceremonial African and Oceanic Art from the Dr. Alan and Linda Rich Collection will be on display at the Polk Museum of Art from October 26 through January 26. 800 E Palmetto St, Lakeland, FL 33801 (863) 688-7743 Polkmuseumofart.org Museum is closed on Mondays

Like many good ideas, the concept for the Adler’s Burgers food truck started over “an open flame and open beverages” at a backyard barbeque. Husband and wife Wade and Jacki Walston and friend Jeremiah Waters teamed up to perfect the American classic. “We were literally having a backyard barbeque talking about how we wanted to do a food truck. We threw it out into the universe, talked about it and it happened,” said Wade. The food truck’s namesake came almost as easily as the idea to start it – Wade and Jacki have a son, Sheriff Adler Walston. The Adler’s name and dino nuggets on the menu were for him. Jeremiah Waters, who hails from Upstate New York, became their first employee and within a week, their first business partner. The trio started the truck 3 years ago and took any gig they could get. Wade said, “If you had a house party with six people we would be there in the off chance that one of those six people were in charge of the swap meet at their church or the company picnic.” Waters and the Walston’s hustled with the food truck for about eight months when they were presented with the opportunity to open a brick and mortar. In fact, it all started in the alley next to their Davenport burger joint. They became the smash burger fix for the late-night crowd of the adjacent Paddy Wagon Irish Pub which Wade, Jacki, and Jeremiah worked at for a time. To be respectful to the other local businesses, Adler’s wouldn’t set up their truck until after 10 pm. Their success didn’t go unnoticed by other eateries in the plaza and the owners were ordered to cease and desist. The owners of the pub saw the advantage of having Adler’s available to their customers and threw out an offer for the space across the alley. “If it wasn’t for us getting kicked out, we probably wouldn’t be sitting at this table currently,” said Wade. Well if it weren’t for that, and their stellar food and customer service of course. HEY, NICE BUNS Ask Wade Walston, a California native where to find the best burger on the west coast and without skipping a beat he’ll tell you In-N-Out Burger. The trio’s goal for Adler’s was to be the same kind of indisputable burger rep in Florida. “We weren’t trying to reinvent the wheel, we were just looking for a missing spoke. Currently, there’s not any one place in Florida known for having the best burger,” he said. “Florida has a lot of fantastic burger franchises and local mom and pops, but no definitive good one. We’re trying to fill that void.” It all starts with the bun. The three owners spent plenty of time, in the beginning, trying different buns out to find their perfect vessel for their burgers. They found an artisan bakery out of Coconut Creek, Florida called Cusano’s Bakery. Cusano’s has been family owned and operated since 1966 with over 100 years of bread baking tradition passed down through the generations. Wade described their bread as “wildly old school, a fantastic product.” Sitting inside this magnificent bun is their uncomplicated all beef, no B.S. smash burger. The burger is comprised of nothing but quality, Midwest, high-fat content ground beef. “There’s no filler in it, there’s no craziness, there’s no Ribeye steak in there,” said Wade. “We like our steaks an inch and a half thick, and we like our burgers with a lot of fat and smashed.” The fast-casual eatery offers $12 combos including a burger, hand-cut fries, and a craft soda. “I think part of our success is that we don’t have an overcomplicated menu,” said Waters. THE LITTLE BLACK DRESS “Hamburgers are an American classic,” said Wade. “We do our best to not overcomplicate it.” Their opus (and number one bestseller by far) is a reflection of that mantra. The Adler’s Classic Burger is dressed with lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, onion, mustard, mayonnaise, ketchup and a slice of American cheese. Though the partners all contributed to their minimal, flavorpacked menu, Jacki Walston – who studied culinary arts at Le Cordon Bleu – is the creative genius behind their weekly specials. The pun-laden, campy names are reason enough to make you want to skip your usual and try something new. “I think the beauty of a burger is you can put just about anything on it and it’s always great. Think little black dress of the food world,” said Jacki. “I love getting people out of their comfort zone with flavors, and the burger is a great vessel to do so with. For example, we did a burger called the LamBURGhini, it had baba ganoush on it. So many people had never tried baba ganoush before and discovered how much they actually love it. I’ve found the quirkier the name, the more willing people are to try out of the box burger toppings.” Regulars flock in for treats like the Ernest Hamingway that Jacki created with in-house made spicy mustard, mushrooms, swiss cheese, and thinly sliced ham. I’ll give you a moment to brace yourself for a description of the Jalapeno Business. Ready? Jacki makes a jalapeno, cilantro, lime ranch and adds with it a jalapeno firecracker (a fire-roasted jalapeno stuffed with pepper jack cheese, rolled in an egg roll and deep-fried), a smash burger with pineapple chutney, cheddar cheese, onion, tomato, lettuce, and fresh jalapeno. COMING TO AN ALLEY NEAR YOU The food truck and restaurant have been so well received that Adler’s will be opening a new location in downtown Winter Haven. Your new go-to burger spot will be tucked between Jessie’s and Jenson’s under the covered walkway. Adler’s Alley, as it will be called, will have a walk-up window for patrons to order and take away or sit in the bars’ patio seating during the day. After Jessie’s and Jenson’s open in the evening, you can enjoy your dreamy burger at either a smoking or non-smoking bar. If you’re in the downtown area, you can enjoy your burger without leaving the office or Grove Roots or Union Tap Room, as they’ll be offering a delivery service to a section of downtown Winter Haven. Adler’s Alley is slated to open later this month. Humbly, the owners said they couldn’t have done it without the stellar performance and service of their employees. “If it weren’t for our employees, we would have sunk a year and a half ago,” said Wade. “Our employees are above and beyond.” With a dream team of people, killer food, and service, Adler’s is poised for expansion. One day, they would like to have six brick and mortar locations and beyond that – the sky’s the limit. One spot they have an eye on is Orlando International Airport. Wade Walston envisions their tasty burgers complemented by a full bar at the airport. “I believe with our product and our customer service – if we could bring this to Orlando International, we’d be a good addition,” he said. Jacki Walson beautifully summed up the best part about growing the burger brand. “It’s easy, I love feeding people, it’s such a rewarding thing to see families enjoying food together,” she said. “It’s brought us closer to our community and I look forward to becoming part of more communities in the future!” Adler’s Davenport Location: 113 Ambersweet Way Davenport, FL — 33837 (863) 438-4324 Winter Haven Location: 278 Avenue A SW, Winter Haven www.adlersburgers.com FB @Adlers.TBC IG @adlerstcb Photo by Amy Sexson

Originating from the parlor “Bagatelle” tables based on European lawn games, pinball machines have evolved from their primitive prototype to all the bells and whistles of the modern-day. Through the years they moved from Electromechanical to Solid State, and now more modern fixtures with licensed-themes like pinball adaptations of “The Addams Family” and “Revenge From Mars.” Arcade culture was born and evolved along with these machines and have gone from a staple in any teen’s social life in the days of disco, perms and leg warmers, to make a nostalgic resurgence in popularity. Winter Haven native and pinball enthusiast Leah-Jean Jett certainly loves all the bells and chimes. In fact, she’s the Florida Chapter Director for Belles & Chimes, an international network of inclusive women’s pinball leagues run by women, for women. “I got hooked on pinball the first time I played,” Jett remembered. That was in 2010. She took to the game and began competing in tournaments and collecting machines, snagging one anytime she had the extra cash. When she ran out of space in her living room, it occurred to her to spread the happiness that pinball brought her. So, she set out to open an arcade. Also around the time she first took to pinball, Jett visited San Francisco where they had bar/ arcade concepts like Brewcade. The San Fran pinball scene inspired Jett to bring the revelry of pinball back to Polk County sans the booze. She started her blast from the past business, Artcade, in August of 2018. “I wanted to create a space that was kidfriendly,” she said, something for the whole family. The doors of the Bells Alley arcade open to a dimly lit, retroinspired space complete with neon signage adorning the walls. A line of shimmering silver steamers is the backdrop for a row of pinball machines spanning the decades. The clanging and flashing 1973 Hi-Lo Aces is the oldest machine at Artcade. You’ll also find movie and television themed machines like her 1977 “The Lost World” and a “Ghostbusters” pinball machine. “Leave your quarters at home,” Jett says. All of the games are set to free play with an hourly rate of $8 or unlimited play for $15. The pool table, 80s jams, and an assortment of other arcade games make Artcade feel like it was dropped into Winter Haven right out of a time machine. The selection of video games like XBOX 360, PS2, Nintendo 64, and Super Nintendo will bring you back to present day. As the name suggests, in addition to being a favorite hangout spot for retro game junkies, Artcade also showcases local art and hosts art events. Once a month they host an art show, as well as an art night where patrons can bring their own to work on or participate in a guided art night. Why was it important to the owner to marry these two concepts? “Because I’m an artist at heart,” said Jett. Before Artcade, Jett owned and operated The Piercing Boutique in town for seven years which she recently closed to focus on Artcade. As a body piercer, skin was her creative medium. The arcade offers snacks and beverages for donations and welcomes guests to order in or bring food (though it would be cool if you could slip them a few bucks as a donation to help keep the pinball lights on). A fan favorite at the arcade is their Artcade Monthly Meetup IFPA (International Flipper Pinball Association) Tournaments. “The first time I ever won money at a pinball tournament, I was like ‘Woah – you can win money at a pinball tournament,’” Jett smiled. “So, I wanted to start directing them.” These IFPA sanctioned events are much like a tournament in any other game or sport. Players compete year-round to win prize money, bragging rights, and a trophy. Folks flip out for these events (pun intended) driving from two and three hours away to compete in the monthly tournaments. Jett uses a program to generate a group of players to compete. From there they go round by round with a 3-strike rule until it gets down to a final winner. Cash payouts are awarded to the 1st, 2nd, 3rd (and sometimes 4th) place winners. In addition to the IFPA tournaments and art nights, Artcade is available for birthday parties and other events (with different party packages available), Dungeons and Dragons campaigns, as well as tournaments set up by guests. The age range you’ll find manning the flippers at Artcade is a mixed bag. From first dates to bro dates, to family game night it has proven to be a hangout space for everybody. Whether you’re into the art or the arcade, plan to bring your friends or make some new ones at Artcade. Who knows, you might just beat a pinball high score and get your name above a machine! Artcade 1149 1st St S, Winter Haven (863) 656-1715 FB @ARTCADEWinterHaven IG @artcade_winterhaven Photos by Amy Sexson

“There are no other Everglades in the world. They are, they have always been, one of the unique regions of the earth; remote, never wholly known. Nothing anywhere else is like them.” These words from iconic conservationist Marjory Stoneman Douglas, speak to a truly magnificent and unique place, The Everglades of Florida. Most people when they envision the River of Grass, think of South Florida and a National Park. However, the Everglades ecosystem is so much more than the Southern tip of our state. The Everglades Headwaters begin in Orange and Lake County flowing through a network of lakes, rivers, prairies and cattle ranches to Lake Okeechobee. Historically, a drop of water could fall on Disney World and make its way to Florida bay. Just as Douglas stated, there is nothing anywhere else like the Everglades Headwaters, and it’s right in our backyard. Marion Creek by Adam Bass The Headwaters, commonly referred to as the Kissimmee River Basin, begins in the swamps behind Magic Kingdom, flowing south to the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes as Reedy Creek. Lakes famous to central Florida such as Kissimmee, Tohopekaliga, and Hatchineha along with more than two dozen others make up the Kissimmee Chain before the flow heads south to Okeechobee via the Kissimmee River and its at times 3-milewide floodplain. Obviously, a critical component of any river system is its headwaters and, The River of Grass’ is no less important. Outside of historically being the source of water for the entire ecosystem, the area provides critical habitat to many species of Flora and Fauna. Panthers, Black Bears, and a host of other amazing creatures call the Kissimmee River Basin home and utilize its corridors. Waterfowl migrating from as far as the Arctic Circle winter on its lakes which provide countless other bird species with year-round abode. Endemic plant species can be found on the sandy ridges and the low-lying wetlands throughout the headwaters. Cypress knees, as tall as a man, grow along creek edges providing a setting akin to a sanctuary. The Kissimmee River Basin is a natural wonder no less amazing then places like the Amazon and Nile Rivers. One of the greatest benefits to the public of the Everglades Headwaters is the access to nature provided through public lands and waters. Lake Kissimmee State Park and Allen David Broussard Catfish Creek Preserve are two state parks encompassing over 13,000 acres and 32 miles of trails. Camping, fishing, hiking and wildlife viewing can all be enjoyed at these parks sharing the “The Real Florida.” Wildlife management areas and water management lands provide sportsman and enthusiasts access to tens of thousands of acres spanning the entire Kissimmee River Basin. Osceola Turkeys, hogs, and Whitetail Deer abound in the public lands surrounding the waterways of the Basin. Along with land-based activities the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes offers recreational opportunities on its more than 80,000 acres of waters. The Kissimmee Chain of Lakes has long been a world-famous destination for fisherman targeting Largemouth Bass and Speckled Perch. Grape Hammock, Guy Harvey’s Camp Mack, and Port Hatchineha all provide access to anglers, waterfowlers, and boaters. The ability to interact and surround oneself with overwhelming and amazing nature is minutes away. Access to these wild and unique areas is significant. The wild lands of the Everglades Headwaters, should be enjoyed, respected, and protected. The Everglades Headwaters, is a place unique in its splendors, and is unlike anywhere else in this world. Such a place that provides habitat for endangered species, access for public enjoyment, and is the historic life source for the entire Everglades community, should not face the threat of its very existence. However, that is exactly what is at stake today. Poorly planned and managed population growth threatens the very majesty of this wonder. Development occurs on its shores daily and contributes to habitat loss and degradation of its water quality. According to several studies on the Florida Greenways Network, the cities at the headwaters are the largest contributors of pollutants to the watershed. Not only does this sprawl contribute to pollution but in its very essence destroys the natural settings where it occurs and limits water management practices. At this very moment there are approvals in place for several thousand homes in Osceola County on the shores of Lake Tohopekaliga and Alligator Lake. Growth is inevitable in the surrounding areas of the Headwaters. Smart growth, with the understanding that we don’t get wild lands back once a subdivision is in its place, should be followed. Conservation of the Everglades Headwaters must be the priority. We are a blessed community to have a true environmental wonder in our backyard, The Everglades Headwaters. Whether hiking a day at a state park, pursuing waterfowl on its lakes, or simply enjoying an afternoon on the water for a cruise; the Everglades Headwaters offer many opportunities to experience wild Florida. That gift comes with the responsibility to ensure its conservation. We owe it to the next generation of Floridians that the Everglades and its headwaters flourish and don’t become “A Land Remembered,” but rather a land conserved.

In honor of National Fire Prevention Week (Oct. 6 – Oct. 12), we sat down with the Lakeland Fire Department’s Fire Chief Douglas Riley and Assistant Fire Chief of Administration Rick Hartzog to talk about a few changes they’ve implemented within the department. These changes have addressed occupational cancer prevention, mental wellness, health and fitness, and firefighter safety. In a few short years, the entire culture of the Fire Service has evolved. Cultural evolution isn’t a new concept to the Lakeland Fire Department. They seem to be at the forefront regionally for employee morale, best practices, inclusion, and diversity – making them a destination department for many cadets and an example for other departments. Fire Chief Riley started with the Lakeland Fire Department in 1987 at 20-years-old. During his 32 years with the department, he worked his way up the ranks from firefighter to driver, lieutenant, battalion chief, and assistant chief in 2010. He was promoted to Fire Chief in December of 2017. Assistant Fire Chief Rick Hartzog, originally from Wisconsin, moved to Florida as a teenager. In 1991 at age 26, Hartzog was inspired by his best friend to join the Fire Service. He too moved up through the ranks, and entered his current position in 2010, at the same time as Riley. “Rick and I have a lot of the same thoughts and ideas and goals for what our vision for the Lakeland Fire Department was,” said Riley. Accompanying their vision, the two share a centered passion for the betterment of the department and its firefighters. According to Hartzog, it was three years ago that the Florida Fire Service began to take a much closer look at the areas of mental health, physical health, firefighter safety, and cancer prevention. The catalyst for this was the formation of the Florida Firefighters Health and Safety Collaborative in 2016. Over the past two years, LFD has worked with advocacy and research groups like the Florida Firefighters Safety and Health Collaborative, Firefighters Against Cancer Epidemic (F.A.C.E.), and Florida Fire Service to act towards preventing occupational cancer and ensuring the personal safety, mental wellness, and physical health of their firefighters. “We’ve been focused on that for 200 years in the Fire Service, but we’ve learned so much about what we’re not doing correctly,” said Hartzog. “We’re taking all of those initiatives and turning them upside down and taking a much deeper dive.” CANCER PREVENTION As Assistant Fire Chief, Hartzog is responsible for the budget, facilities, apparatuses, tools, gear, and supplying firefighters anything they need to do their jobs to the best of their abilities. As such, he has taken a vested interest in occupational cancer prevention, mental wellness, health and fitness, and safety on the job for firefighters. The Lakeland Fire Department has been aggressive with education on those four areas and has made remarkable strides to better care for their firefighters. In a YouTube video by Lakeland Fire, Hartzog stated that “Firefighters have a greater than one in three chance of getting cancer while employed or in retirement.” Their profession puts these men and women at a significantly greater risk of cancer than the general population. Lakeland Fire Department has taken steps to reduce or eliminate their firefighters’ exposure to carcinogens and harmful agents both on emergency scenes and from contaminants that they may carry home with them afterward (despite a line of defense with safety gear and self-contained breathing apparatuses). One of the many ways they are addressing this issue is in redesigning their engines. Fire Station No. 5’s Engine 51 is the department’s first clean-cab fire engine. In this concept, they have moved the primary gear, tools, and equipment from storage in the cab of the truck to exterior compartments. Through post-fire decontamination of their gear, tools, and equipment, they can remove 85% of contaminants. Additionally, removing contaminated gear and tools from the cab virtually eliminates exposure to carcinogenic gases. The cab’s interior was outfitted in non-porous, easy to clean material to reduce cross-contamination. An air conditioning unit fitted with a HEPA filter was installed to keep emergency scene contaminants from circulating into the engine’s cab. A diesel filter system was also installed on the truck to eliminate contaminants while the engine is idling, cold starting at the fire station, and while low idling on-scene. Engine 51 was modeled after a concept from the Coral Springs Fire Department. LFD copied the concept, made improvements of their own, and have shared that with other departments in hopes they’ll follow suit. “We’re changing the face of the Fire Service here in the state and throughout the country, by what we learn and what we share,” said Hartzog. Lakeland Fire Department plans to do this with all of their engines eventually by replacing them at the end of their life cycle and retrofitting current apparatuses. Other cancer prevention initiatives include a thorough postfire gross decontamination, a second set of firefighting gear for firefighters to change into if called to a second emergency scene, washers and dryers installed at the fire stations to reduce transferring contaminants to their home, and a personal decontamination and cleaning process that includes showering within an hour of returning from an emergency scene. Explaining the importance of the personal decontamination, Hartzog said, “Your body, when you have an elevated temperature, absorbs the contaminants 400 times more than if your body is at a normal temperature. That’s why it’s important to shower, to lock your pores so you don’t continue to absorb.” According to Fire Chief Riley, LFD was also the first department in the state to adopt carcinogen barrier hoods in efforts to reduce thyroid cancer. These best practices are part of a nationwide collaborative effort to keep firefighters as safe and healthy as possible. CULTURAL CHANGE In years past, a certain level of bravado and honor was attached to coming back to the station with a helmet dirtier than your comrades’. With their combined over 60 years in the fire service, Riley and Hartzog are no strangers to this idea that the dirtier you are post-fire, the harder you must have worked. They’re happy to have initiated a change in that culture at LFD and see a similar shift in the Fire Service across the state. This shift is happening right now, but not everyone is on board said the Assistant Fire Chief. “That’s the challenge – we fight the culture. The culture is that we are superheroes, we don’t get hurt, we don’t show weakness, it’s macho to be dirty and nasty and have that stuff on you,” said Hartzog. “Now, clean is the new badge of honor.” Since joining the Florida Firefighters Health and Safety Collaborative, LFD has become a leader in cancer prevention, health, wellness, and safety in the state. Hartzog said, “We are a department that other departments look to about all of this.” Like any organizational change, it has to start at the top. Thankfully for the Lakeland Fire Department, their leadership was ready to push for change. Fire Chief Riley noted, “Our whole career, our number one priority was to take care of the citizens – and it still is. But, I have 156 firefighters out there that work every day, put on the uniform and give it 110% to take care of the citizens. Our job is to take care of them [the firefighters].” Hartzog agreed, adding, “You have to be willing to be openminded. You have to be willing to listen. When we started to look at the data and what it was telling us – it was eye-opening.” Riley expressed that change within the department was fairly easy. Once the firefighters were confident that leadership had their best interest at heart, they followed suit with the life-saving initiatives. MENTAL HEALTH For LFD, it was important to take care of their firefighters holistically. Mental health had to be at the forefront of this fight as well. Hartzog stated an alarming truth, “Firefighter suicide is outpacing firefighter line of duty death in the field.” “Firefighters are dying at almost twice the rate from suicide than from line of duty deaths and that’s just not acceptable,” said Riley. Many of these suicides can be attributed to PTSD. Every firefighter doesn’t have just one bad call in their career. They go on many calls that would shake most human beings to their core, that would alter them. These heroes, for the betterment and safety of the community, put themselves in a position to see countless tragedies. “We’ve never had a line of duty death or suicide here. We don’t ever want to have one,” said the Assistant Fire Chief. The first step towards keeping LFD firefighters in fit mental health was the notion that ‘It is okay not to be okay.’ This too has been a cultural change within the fire service, perhaps a more difficult one to overcome than the areas of cancer prevention and physical health and safety. Riley and Hartzog spoke openly about being young men in the fire service. If they ran a bad call, they kept their mouth shut and moved on with it for fear of ridicule, stigmatization, or even becoming unpromotable in their career. As seasoned veterans of the service, they will be the first to tell you, that isn’t the way to handle mental health and it certainly isn’t their approach as leaders now. The department has a peer support system and has made mental health resources readily available. The Fire Chief brought in formal training for their Peer Support Team which Hartzog detailed as, “A team of trusted firefighters that were identified by their fellow brother and sister firefighters that if somebody was not having a good day, if they were struggling with mental health – whether it’s one call or life is just not good – they can reach out to a peer supporter and know that it will be confidential [unless someone committed a crime or threatened to hurt themselves or someone else].” “Firefighters will trust that process – we use it here. It works,” he said. Riley added, “I think we’re doing well but not good enough. We’re going to continue to fight that fight.” The network of peer support extends beyond the walls of the Lakeland Fire Department. They have made their resources available to other departments in Polk County and across the region. With a desire to be an asset to other departments in the state, LFD has joined a collaborative effort to build a statewide support network to be deployed where needed. “There’s almost nothing greater that you can do than help somebody in their time of need,” said Hartzog. NOT SLOWING DOWN The idea is simple. “If we can’t take care of us, we can’t take care of you,” said Hartzog. This push to destigmatize mental health and incorporate other best practices in the fire service has been good for the department. “We’re having healthy conversations that we never had before,” he said. With an air of humility, Riley and Hartzog spoke fervently about the steps the department was taking to care for their firefighters. They want these initiatives in place not for any recognition, but the betterment of their firefighters and ultimately the citizenry of Lakeland – and they have no intentions of slowing down. Assistant Fire Chief Rick Hartzog said, “We have a lot to do. We will never move fast enough to accomplish the changes that need to be made and the things that need to be put into place to better take care of our firefighters – we’ll never move fast enough. We’re going as fast as time, effort, energy, and funding will allow us to go.”

Looking for a place to go dancing and a way to impart their love of dance onto others, Finley and Carmen Walker stepped in to create a community for Salsa and Swing in Lakeland. In partnership with the City of Lakeland’s Parks & Rec., The Walkers teach group and private social dance lessons with their company, Lakeland Salsa & Swing. A high school Spanish teacher who would teach Fin and his classmates Salsa, and a Swing-dance-themed senior prom were Walker’s foray into dance. He enjoyed it so much that in college he connected with different groups and would go dancing every week. After about a year of social dancing – mainly Salsa and Swing – Walker was offered the opportunity to teach some basic classes. That grew into a weekly Friday night social in downtown Lynchburg, Virginia that attracted over 200 people each weekend. Fin participated in styles from Waltz and Tango to Foxtrot, Cha-Cha, Rumba, Merengue, and Bachata though his passion has remained Salsa and Swing. When Fin and Carmen met, naturally the two spent time on the dance floor. They would periodically go out dancing and do private lessons. The pair lived in Miami for a time and Durham, North Carolina. The pursuit of Fin’s doctorate in Organizational Leadership at Southeastern University and Lakeland’s “awesome community vibe” brought the couple here to stay. FINDING THE RHYTHM “We wanted to have something to go to in Lakeland. We were looking for a place to go dancing,” said Fin. Lakeland does have dance studios for formal lessons but seemed to be lacking what they were looking for – informal, lowpressure, social dancing that was fun and accessible to both novices and professionals alike. So, in March they created it themselves with Lakeland Salsa & Swing. Every Tuesday evening in the Lake Mirror Auditorium, for $5 per person, folks of all ages and skill levels, with and without partners gather to learn from the Walkers and socialize with fellow dancers. “Most of our students that come are beginners,” said Walker. For this reason, they’ve created lessons comfortable for everyone. Each week, they cover a basic step along with the foundational basics of moving to the music and dancing with a partner. They marry that with a combination, turn, or another maneuver. The Walkers switch it up each week to make the class accessible to newcomers and not repetitive for those who attend regularly. “What we’re looking to do now is build more of a culture and a community,” said Fin. He explained that bigger cities like Orlando or Tampa have these types of dance events regularly. Instead of having a studio, they rely on a different restaurant or business to host. This is the model he’d like to create here, partnering with Lakeland business owners. Both the accessibility and the ubiquity of the dances were the reason he wanted to bring Salsa and Swing to Lakeland. “It’s kind of like a gateway to the other partner dances. The steps are a little more accommodating to beginners,” he said. “They’re kind of these evolving dances because they’re more social dances and less of the traditional formal styles. They’re constantly evolving, changing, adapting with different music that’s coming out.” Periodically they change formats from their usual class and host Salsa social. The last one was at LKLD Live with another scheduled this month at Haus 820. The social is typically longer than a normal class and draws in more people. The Walkers are hoping to have upwards of 100 people at their upcoming Haus 820 social on October 11. TRY SOMETHING NEW, YOU MIGHT JUST FALL IN LOVE If you’re on the fence about stepping into your dancin’ shoes, Fin had a story that might change your mind about trying something new. In college, Walker would ask his roommate to go out dancing with him as a way to meet new people, unwind, and build confidence. “Dancing helped build my self-esteem,” Fin said. “It also taught me a lot about relationships.”For an entire semester, his roommate declined. Finally, at the end of that semester, he gave in and went dancing. Walker said, “He loved it after that first time. He was hooked!” His roommate went dancing every week from then on. He moved back to Los Angeles where he was from and began working with a professional dance group. Now, he competes professionally and teaches at a prestigious dance studio in L.A. The roommate even met his wife through dance. “Dance, it brings people together,” said Walker. “Everyone should give it a shot at least once and you never know, it might be your new favorite thing.” Walker says he and Carmen would love to add another day of the week to their dance schedule – one day for Salsa and another for Swing. At the moment, the family’s schedule won’t allow it as Carmen works full-time in the mental health field and Fin will soon start a position teaching 5th grade English. Oh, and they’re expecting a baby! They look to add that extra day in the future and potentially try out a “Dancing with the Stars” event with Polk County celebs. In the meantime, the duo will keep using dance as a conduit for community, confidence building, and fun. “I love teaching – with dancing or teaching English and Social Studies – I love seeing the lightbulb moments in people’s eyes when they get it,” said Fin Walker. “The moment when they self-discover what they’re capable of, that’s an awesome feeling. For me and my wife, that’s the reason we love to teach dance.” Lakeland Salsa and Swing www.lakelandsalsa.com FB @lakelandsalsa IG @lakelandsalsa Classes: When: Tuesday 6:30pm - 9pm Where: Lake Mirror Auditorium 121 South Lake Ave., Lakeland $5 per person Photo by Amy Sexson

The first year of any job is a time to show off your skillset, form relationships with co-workers, and earn your place within the company. Certainly, this is true too of the fire service – a career in which daily tasks can range from station cleaning duties or taking life-saving measures on the scene of a car wreck, to purposely walking into a burning building. Giving a rookie’s perspective to what life is like in the fire service is Lakeland firefighters Peterson Theophile. Theophile grew up in Haiti, moving to the United States in 2010 with his father. He lived in West Palm Beach before moving to Port Charlotte where he went to high school and first became interested in Emergency Medical Services as a potential career. He has pursued these interests since the 10th grade, taking an EMR course in high school. It was in this class he found that the excitement, adrenalin-rush, and ability to help people within the fire service appealed to him. He attended EMT school in college, for which he said his high school EMR class had well prepared him. After completing his fire standards, Theophile was hired on with the Ocala Fire Department (OFD) where he worked for three months before being offered a job with Lakeland Fire Department (LFD) where he has been for six months. Coming up on a year in the fire service, Theophile reflected, “The first year has been really exciting.” When he started at OFD he admittedly wasn’t very handy. His fellow firefighters taught him everything he needed to know from the names and use for the tools they use to how to change a tire. “I learned a lot with them [in Ocala] and when I came down here, they taught me even more,” he said. “Not just about the fire service, but about life itself in general.” Along with soaking up every bit of information he can, Theophile has been working to earn his spot at the station. “[In] station life, you have to be really respectful. As a rookie, you have to be the first one to do everything. Everybody had to go through it – you’ve got to earn your spot,” he said. “Everybody who was here before you – they’ve earned their respect, they’ve earned their spot.” Between saving lives and community outreach, the firefighters even have time for a few good-natured pranks. When asked if he had any funny rookie moments on the job, Theophile laughed and said, “Every day.” The most recent involved a lizard (which Peterson isn’t a fan of) being put on his back. Jokes aside, Peterson feels like he is truly a part of the fire service’s brotherhood/ sisterhood. He still has friends from his time serving in Ocala and described LFD as “a family.” Life in the fire service isn’t as it’s depicted on tv says Theophile. It isn’t nonstop saving babies from burning buildings and getting cats down from treetops. Though they do go on many dangerous and exciting calls, not everything is as dramatic as on television. “The station is our second home. When we come here in the morning, we have morning detail that we always clean, we cook all ourselves. We each chip in $10 and we have one person that cooks – it’s not all exciting. There are certain things you have to do every shift,” he said. Whether it is a big call or minuscule station duties, he said, “Everything I do here, I enjoy very much.” Surprisingly it isn’t the dangerous or adrenaline-inducing calls that this firefighter enjoys the most – it’s helping senior citizens in their time of need. The fire department often receives calls to assist seniors who have fallen. “We all have grandparents that could be in that situation, we’re all going to get old one day. When I go to those calls, I make sure I treat them with respect because that might be me one day and they deserve the utmost respect,” he said. Theophile’s nearest career aspirations are to become a driver and eventually one day work his way up the ranks to a lieutenant. Thankfully, he has many mentors to help him along the way. “At my shift, in this station – everybody’s a mentor. Everyone teaches me and every day I learn something new from everyone at the station,” he said. Perhaps one day he’ll be a mentor to a rookie firefighter. His first-year advice to someone thinking of joining the service was to, above all else, work hard. “And even when you make it, you continue to work hard and learn something new every day and train every day,” he said, “The work doesn’t stop.”

Lieutenant Damian Motsinger has been with the Lakeland Fire Department for the entirety of his fire career – over 11 years. His grandfather was a volunteer fire chief and his great uncle was a Lakeland firefighter years ago. The idea to follow in their footsteps crossed his mind as a kid. Both he and his sister did eventually pursue their fire standards and carry on the family tradition. Now a Lieutenant, how Motsinger leads his crew was influenced by a few mentors throughout his career. He complimented Troy Deines for his knowledgeability as a firefighter, and said, “When I was going through paramedic school, he was stationed with me at that time and guided and encouraged me through that process.” Of another influential firefighter, retired Lieutenant Mark Bowers, Motsinger said, “His crew was very important to him and the family atmosphere and comradery were important to him […] Seeing that early on in my career was important in developing me into an officer because that’s the same way I run my crew here.” Motsinger and his wife Chelsea, a nurse practitioner, have two dogs. When he isn’t at the fire station, Motsinger likes to stay active, taking their dogs to the dog park, exercising, and practicing martial arts. Keeping fit is a personal must for Motsinger. He discussed the major changes within the department in the areas of occupational cancer prevention, mental health, safety, and physical health. “There are a lot of aspects to health and wellness in the fire service. Some of the big ones we’re facing right now are cancer and mental health. When a lot of people think of health and wellness they think of the physical aspect, they think about exercising or eating right and those are very important,” he said. To encourage physical fitness for its firefighters, the Lakeland Fire Department puts out reading material that offers different workout ideas and nutritional advice, and each station has a gym. The department is currently in the process of re-outfitting gyms at each station with new exercise equipment for more functional, low-impact use according to the lieutenant. Making large meals together is an important part of the culture of the fire service. Balancing healthy eating with the stress of the job can be hard for new firefighters which can lead to weight gain and in turn back, knee, and shoulder problems. “The truth of it is, in the fire service, you may go from watching tv or sitting at the dinner table to inside a fire within five minutes,” he said. “You have to take care of and maintain your body throughout your career because you’re going to be here for 25 to 30 years.” Motsinger said, “Hopefully through the information that we put out and through the education we do in our orientation process, we are encouraging our firefighters to eat healthier and live overall healthier lifestyles.” A problem for many firefighters and an important part of leading a healthy lifestyle is getting adequate sleep. The anticipation and excitement of when the next tone will drop can be jolting, creating an unhealthy sleep schedule that can carry over into a firefighter’s home life, said Motsinger. “It creates this sleep debt where you’re always behind,” he said. On par with physical fitness, mental health is an area that leadership within the department has given much attention and taken steps to provide resources for. Motsinger explained that firefighters are exposed to all of life’s regular stress, in addition to sleep deprivation and the emergency scenes they are called to. “It can be challenging,” he said. “The mental part of it is constant. The physical part comes and goes, you have harder days than others, but the mental part is every day for your entire career.” People are affected by things differently and have differing needs when it comes to working through a tough time. Motsinger urged that being bothered by a call doesn’t make a firefighter less than. He said, “Something at some time will bother every firefighter because we’re human beings.” Motsinger added, “Fortunately, we are doing a much better job of recognizing circumstances that would warrant us taking care of each other. And that’s what the peer support system is all about.” Lieutenant Motsinger said, “We’re here to help the public. That’s our mission, that’s what we do. But we have to take care of each other first because if we’re not mentally and physically healthy, we can’t help anyone else.”

Born on Florida’s east coast, Jessica Bryant went to Florida Institute of Technology and earned her Bachelor of Science degree. From there she built a career managing restaurants and was the General Manager for years at a corporate restaurant. As she grew increasingly disheartened with the industry, Bryant wanted a change. A friend from roller derby, a firefighter/ paramedic for Hillsborough County, asked Bryant if she’d ever thought of being in the fire service – she hadn’t. She thought teaching was her next calling until an EMR course piqued her interest. Building momentum from that class, Bryant took an EMT course and loved it. Next, she pursued her fire standards. At 34 years old, Jessica Bryant decided to become a firefighter and Lakeland Fire Department was her first choice. She’s been doing a job that challenges and fulfills her for two and a half years now. Bryant even joined a combat fire team, Team Lang to compete in the Scott Firefighter Combat Challenge. Bryant has always wanted to be the best firefighter she could be. Her mentality is that at work, she is a firefighter above all else. “No matter woman or man, as a new firefighter you have to prove to your crew that you have their back no matter what, which can be stressful, and as a woman, you may have to figure different techniques to get the job done. But once you do and show that you never give up, this is the best career in the world, and the rewards outweigh any bad day,” she said. Donning earrings and glitter nail polish, Bryant made it clear that her femininity has not been sacrificed for her career. “You don’t have to lose being a woman to be a firefighter,” she said. Bryant’s experience in the fire service has been a positive one. “Our department wants you to do a good job and they want you to be happy while you’re doing it,” she said. Of her male comrades, Bryant said, “It’s like having a bunch of big brothers.” Women within the fire service can empower each other through passing on knowledge and being collective says Bryant. “I think if we work together as women, we’re going to get a lot more done,” she said. She shared advice given to her by retired career Lakeland firefighter Maggie Colson, “Demand what is yours, fight for what is yours, but be ready to back it up.” IGNITING CHANGE: WOMEN IN THE FIRE SERVICE In efforts to diversify the department, LFD began a campaign called “Igniting Change.” The program is to encourage more girls and women to consider the fire service as a career option. The fire department speaks at schools and groups like PACE Center for Girls and Girls Inc. to share this message. A video was produced by the department detailing the perspective of a female firefighter, encouraging other women who are interested in the fire service. The department also provides Polk County high schools with materials from bookmarks and videos to career planning materials for guidance counselors to give to students. Fire Chief Riley expressed that the fire department should be a reflection of the community they serve. The department would like to make it an attractive career option for people who might not have considered it as such. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, nationwide, only about 4% of firefighters are female. That number is unacceptable to the Fire Chief. “Young girls never think about becoming firefighters. Why? Because nobody ever has that conversation with them,” he said. He thinks middle school or younger is where the seed needs to be planted that firefighting is a viable, realistic career choice for women as well as men. Jessica Bryant is involved with the Igniting Change campaign, and speaks to young girls. “I went through school and went to college and no one said ‘Have you ever thought about being a firefighter?’” She thinks it’s extremely positive to spread their message to girls. “Women in the fire service can be a great help when dealing with female patients. Female firefighters help to just add another perspective or view in serving our communities,” she added. Public Relations and Information Manager for LFD, Janel Vasallo spoke about the impact the campaign has had, saying, “Before the campaign, we went some years without getting any applications from women. After the campaign came out, we got a lot of local news attention [...] The following hiring period, we got eight applications.” EXPECTING ALI Bryant brings another interesting perspective to being a female in the fire service. At the time of our interview in September, Bryant was 34 weeks pregnant and still actively working. Her daughter, Ali Fortunato Bryant Gittings will be Bryant’s first child. With a due date of October 20, the expecting mother shared what it was like having the normal thoughts and worries of pregnancy combined with her dangerous line of work. She went through the usual considerations of how she would get time off and finding a babysitter to things she’s never thought about before like preparing a will. Taking off much of the stress, her fellow firefighters have been supportive of Bryant, even offering to cover her shift when she needs time off. “The department has been very helpful,” she said. They’ve given Bryant the option to come off-line and work in administration whenever she feels she needs to. When we spoke, she planned to continue working as normal until around 37 weeks. Her family of firefighters has embraced Bryant and her baby girl. They even threw her a baby shower and Bryant remarked she constantly receives baby clothes and gifts for Ali. Asked what lessons she has learned as a firefighter that will carry over into motherhood, Bryant laughed, saying she has bought safety kits for the whole house. “I’ve become a little neurotic on safety, that’s for sure.” Bryant reflected on what it was like to be in her 30’s, midcareer, and change everything despite what others would think. She hopes Ali will have that drive to do what makes her happy, to be educated, strong, and voice her opinion. Bryant said, “I want her to know that the possibilities are endless. Whatever she wants to do, she can do it. As long as she has a commitment and a drive – she’ll have the support there.”

“Norm, let’s start from the beginning,” I said. Norman Small, Founding Producing Director for Theatre Winter Haven pulled out a black and white photograph and slid it across the table. Beneath the group of shaggy-haired ’70s youngsters read, “First Play Reading Committee 1970.” “There’s a guy there with a lot more weight and a lot more hair at the time,” he laughed pointing to his 25-year-old self. Theatre Winter Haven got its start by two of the people in that photo. “They were a couple of clowns in town,” said Small. “And I mean literally clowns, they made a living out of that.” The couple had gotten together with the Department of Recreation to found a community theatre. They asked Norman if he would join. A professor at then Polk Junior College at the time, he obliged. The clowns left town–money and all, after the first show, “Don’t Drink the Water” by Woody Allen. “As a professor of theatre at the college and a local little theatre beginning, let’s do it or die,” Small remembered thinking. “So, I did it.” Making a whopping $6K a year teaching, Small was able to volunteer his time to continue the theatre. Season One would show only two productions, the second, “Barefoot in the Park” by Neil Simon. But Small persisted. Asked if he had any funny stories to share about the first season, Small quipped, “Why don’t I say that the first season was the funny story.” Funny or not, they climbed to 150 subscriptions in their first year. For the first five or so years, the performances were held at the Tourist Club Auditorium on Lake Silver. The small, flat stage auditorium could seat 150 and had a 15-foot-wide stage. Sandwiched between the shuffleboard courts and bingo and bridge hall, Norm joked, “We never knew when we performed whether it was going to be B-16 or I-41.” Between 1947 and 1955, there was another community theatre (that had since dissolved) in Winter Haven according to Small. They would use the Women’s Club auditorium to perform. Small asked the Women’s Club if they could use the space and they agreed. They were at the Women’s Club from 1975 to 1976 while their current theatre was in construction. Asked to leave the Women’s Club auditorium, TWH went back to the small tourist auditorium until 1977 when the current theatre was completed. Small remembered their time at the Women’s Club, “We had to bring all of our lights in. We put one down backstage, forgetting that it was still on. It started to smoke,” he burst with laughter. “That’s one of the reasons they asked us to leave!” The theatre’s infancy was held together by a shoestring budget. For years, everyone, including Norman worked as a volunteer. There were a few vital volunteers that particularly stood out to the founding producing director. First, box office chairman, Virginia Myers who volunteered for thirteen years until her passing. Two other instrumental players were actors from Lakeland, Barbara Smith and Mike O’Steen. The two performed for Lakeland Little Theatre and would go on to play many leads for Theatre Winter Haven. “Barbara and Mike were really our stalwarts in surviving,” said Small crediting the actors. A year for the record books for Theatre Winter Haven was 1977. That year, the theatre hired its first employee, technical director, David Seavey. In 1980, Norman Small became the second employee, finally drawing a paycheck following ten years of volunteering. Measurable Impact “When you are in the arts, you have a passion,” said Small. This passion is inflamed by both the process and the product. “If the product turns out and you adore what you’ve done and hopefully the audience does too – you want it to continue.” “I went to a national conference in 1979 in New York City. One of the showcases of the American Community Theatre Association was the last time’s national winner – it was called “The Good Doctor” from Topeka Kansas,” recalled Small. He watched it and thought, “We can do that.” He decided to enter the theatre in the competition which started at the state level, moving up to regional and national. Busy at the theatre, Norm was unable to attend the competition. “I remember getting the phone call backstage,” he said. It was a Friday night, the production they had entered was “The Shadow Box.” His excitement still almost as palpable as the day it happened, Small said, “We won!” “Went to nationals, didn’t win. Who cares? We were [among] the ten best in the country,” he said. The win energized him artistically. “It validated what we were doing by those who are in the same world as we are.” Between 1980 and 2017, Theatre Winter Haven has been nominated for and won numerous awards regionally, nationally, and internationally – donning the crown of most honored community theatre. “How does it impact the community? The community knows they’ve got something here,” said Small, speaking to the cultural draw of the theatre. Current Producing Director, Dan Chesnicka added, “The economic impact right now for Theatre Winter Haven is about 8.5 million dollars to this community.” That is 8.5 million dollars in food, lodging, gas, amenities, etc. that have been measured to directly result from the work of Theatre Winter Haven. “We bill ourselves as Florida’s most honored community theatre because of the number of awards that have been bestowed upon us in a number of arenas,” said Chesnicka. Widely regarded as one of the best community theatres in the nation, the shows they produce impact the culture and economy of the surrounding areas. “Our county measures the success of an organization by how many visitors we bring from outside our local area. Our audience represents 35% from outside of Polk County that travel here to see these shows which is a fantastic measure of our success,” said Chesnicka. More important still is the safe place the theatre provides. This is true especially of kids that participate in their academy. Chesnicka said, “They always have a safe place to come. We have classes that go throughout the year, we have two academy shows that we do each year. These kids are in a safe environment where they are valued and they are trusted and they are given all the tools that will give them accumulated advantages that they will take on through life.” For Chesnicka, it’s the “off the balance sheets” effects that theatre has on people which impact him most. “It’s the kid who comes in whose struggling in their life in one way or another and finds a home and finds a friend and is able to finally find that one place where they feel like they belong,” he said. The volunteers get something from the theatre as well. There must be a reason they sacrifice their time and talent for the theatre’s sake. “They do it because it feeds them in a way that is meaningful and it’s admirable that we have the institution in our community,” said Chesnicka. “I’m so proud to be affiliated with it and with the people who donate their time and their energy and their talent for the only purpose of creating happiness for others.” Support from the City Without the relationship between Theatre Winter Haven and The City of Winter Haven which Small noted as “important and significant,” the theatre would never have happened at all. “We had to have a place, they provided that at a very low cost. This theatre that was built was specifically built for us, with input by me,” he said. “Their continued relationship with us is a symbiotic relationship that without them, what we have provided since, wouldn’t have continued.” That tradition of local government support continues according to Chesnicka. Motioning to the construction on the Field House, Chesnicka acknowledged what it will do for the athletic community, adding, “It should be noted that there’s also going to be a second theatre that is built here so that we can double up on the amount of entertainment we provide for the people of this community.” More rehearsal and multi-use space will allow the theatre to expand their children’s programs from simply theatre to that of a broader visual and performing arts center – including dance and voice programs, chamber music and instruments. “If the mainstage is the beating heart of our theatre, our academy is its soul,” said Chesnicka. “We’re wildly proud of everything that we do on our mainstage, but rarely do I feel more connected to our mission than when we’re doing our academy shows.” Theatre Winter Haven has been home and host to many successful actors, actresses, and technicians. Actress Karen Olivo who came through the academy won a Tony Award for her role as Anita in West Side Story, the same role she played here. TV host, personality and Hamilton star, Wayne Brady has even graced the Winter Haven stage. If the theatre ever put together a wall of fame, Chesnicka said it would be wildly impressive – a nod to their reputation as the best community theatre around. A tinge of pride in his voice, Small smiled, “How many theatres can say their little theatre produced a Tony winner?” Of the city’s investment in Theatre Winter Haven, Chesnicka said, “I would say from Mayor Dantzler to the commissioners, to City Commissioner Herr, to Assistant City Commissioner T. Michael Stavres – there is a unanimous sense of commitment to having arts be if not the central part of our community, certainly a central part of our community.” Looking Back, Moving Forward For 45 seasons, Norman Small was at Theatre Winter Haven’s helm. It isn’t just the building that holds memories for him, it’s the people and the art they made together. Small thought for a moment before listing out monumental times in his theatre career. First, was moving into the building in ’77. “Before that point, I never really considered that what I was doing was show business, I was just doing shows,” he said. “When the very first rehearsal happened under lights, when they went on for the first time – I’ve never had an experience like that except when my first child was born. When they came out and showed me the baby, something happened. And that happened whenever the lights went on and the curtain came up for the first rehearsal here in this building.” Next was when they were finally able to afford to hire their technical director David Seavey as a paid employee. Seavey left his job at what was then Circus World, taking a pay cut to do so. Norm asked him why. Small’s eyes began to water, “He said, ‘I was a Vietnam war vet. I’ve never seen people work harder to create a product and make it all happen since I was in the military than in the theatre.’” He went on to say that the coalescence of people working together to create something meaningful and significant was why he joined TWH. Small paused, “What an incredible, holy thing to say.” This powerful sentiment was followed up by the memory of entering and winning the first competition, hiring production manager, Thom Altman who Norm one time gifted a gallon of white glue because he held them all together. Volunteers Virginia Myers and Dave Burger were given high praise, and Small mentioned his first paycheck from the theatre and reaching 4,000 members during their 45th season. These spotlights were brief for the sake of the interview, but Small could have gone on telling sidesplitting stories and thanking the people who have made Theatre Winter Haven successful. Season 50 – Shows and Celebration The Season 50 lineup of shows is promising. To kick off this milestone season is, “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” a production that too is turning 50 this year. Following that production will be “Coming Back Like a Song,” “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change,” and “Kinky Boots.” The latter is significant as Theatre Winter Haven will be the first community theatre in Florida to debut “Kinky Boots.” “We’re going to be doing that before you’ll be able to see it anywhere. That happens quite regularly based on our reputation and our number of years of service,” said Chesnicka. Rounding out the season will be “Calendar Girls” and “The Wedding Singer.” To celebrate the big 5-0, the theatre is planning a gala to take place in March. We don’t yet have many details to offer, other than, “It’s going to be big,” according to the Producing Director. Final Thoughts A nationally recognized community theatre, the most honored in Florida – Theatre Winter Haven has grown that initial 150 subscriber base to nearly 5,000. Here from day one, Norm still catches every show he can when he’s in town. He’ll tell you that his favorite production throughout the years will always be, “The next one.” The torch has been passed to Chesnicka and the next fifty or so years will be his to nurture. “My goal is to honor our city commissioners’ and our city manager’s wish to make Winter Haven a great place to live, work, and play,” he said. “I found this place as a volunteer. My kids grew up in this place. The reason I’m in this job is because I want to preserve what Norm has created and if possible cast a wider net – to continue the growth that Norm talks about that has happened through the first 50 years. And, to make sure that 50 years from now, there’s someone from Haven Magazine sitting down with whoever the next director is, to talk about what a milestone it is that Theatre Winter Haven is turning 100.” “Norm, any final thoughts on the theatre’s 50th season?” I asked. The Theatre Winter Haven luminary answered, “I never expected this to happen when I was 25 years old, but I’m so glad it has.”

Much of the success Pati Mills has seen in her life can be attributed to knowing the right people at the right time – the same kind of associations she cultivates with her networking group the Greneteam Gals. Her life has been an interesting one. “I bought my house on the lake with a six-car garage with my art. How many artists do you know that can do that?” said Pati, smiling. “And, I never had a contract.” She has her seaplane license and her first public speaking engagement was alongside former first lady Barbara Bush. Pati spent three days and $50 to become a security guard to gain access to Cypress Gardens in an attempt to snap photos to help to save it. She even gained a one of a kind position with real estate tycoon David Seigel as his Corporate Facilities Artist for 28 of his Westgate Resorts – stories chronicling Mills’ meaningful life experiences go on. Here a few great ones. Executive Business Women’s Network Twenty-five years ago, Pati Mills founded the Executive Business Women’s Network. She wanted to meet smart people – leaders of the community. She didn’t want another social club. “I don’t talk about my kids or dogs or backaches,” she said. The network was the same in that regard. “Be specific, say who you are, what you’re working on, what your needs are, sit down and shut up,” she said. The group did become successful and certainly, many business connections were made, but Pati eventually phased the group out to pursue other ventures. Painting for Publix The artist is perhaps most well-known locally for her work as a Publix muralist. When she was first contacted by Publix, Mills owned a small craft shop off of Dundee Road called The Cinnamon Tree where she hand-made ceramic tiles. According to Mills, the supermarket chain had heard about her through someone in her network. They called Pati to inquire about having the façade of their store painted. She agreed and got to work. She lined the room of her shop with sheets of 4x8 plywood as her easel. Pati stacked the tiles, using a number and letter system. She and her children worked on the storefront piece. She said, “I gave them the first one and they said that they loved it and wanted to do it again.” The first murals depicted a cornucopia. One day she got a call from Publix that they weren’t doing murals on their buildings anymore. The city wanted to charge them a sign tax as the murals depicted items sold in the store. “So, I said, ‘Well isn’t the next one over by the park in Lakeland? Why don’t I do a park scene?’ They loved it!” remembered Pati. From then on, she’d find a distinguishing landmark or something symbolic of whatever town the mural was to go in. Mills went on to paint 200 murals for Publix Supermarkets. Pati’s Pottery Another opportunity opened up for her one day when a city employee stopped in her shop. He was looking for crafters for a craft village at Cypress Gardens. Pati remembered, “He said, ‘I’m looking for a potter.’ And I lied. I said, ‘You are? I’m a potter!’” It wasn’t too big of a fib. She had been pouring slip and making dishes but hadn’t forayed into the pottery wheel. How hard could it be? “The first thing I did was buy a book on how to be a potter because I’d told him I was a Master Potter, that was in the book. Then I bought a pottery wheel. In three months – just three months – I had five thousand pots. Now, they weren’t all beautiful, but I took a picture of them and put the bad side in the back.” Next thing you know, her name was in seven-foot letters at Cypress Gardens – ‘Pati’s Pottery.’ “My first year, I made $84,000,” she said. The Greneteam Gals Pati’s current women’s networking group, modeled after the Executive Business Women’s Network, started two years ago with twelve members attending the first meeting. The Greenlefe community, where Pati was living at the time, was their original meeting space. This is where their moniker, the Greneteam Gals, stems from. A petite woman, on the lower end of five feet tall, Pati Mills has no trouble commanding a room. Twenty women flowed into the meeting space at Bambu Café. Each put their cellphone into a basket where it would remain until the end of the meeting. This isn’t a social hour. For the Greneteam Gals, it’s time to get down to business. The business cards of real estate agents, former county commissioners, writers, bakers, and other female entrepreneurs are exchanged. Budding deals and business connections are formed. No chit chat, or Pati who has earned and finds amusement in the name they’ve affectionately given her, ‘The General’ will call you out for interrupting the speaker. “I’m real strict about them not chit-chatting when the speaker is speaking,” she would tell me later. To keep the group intimate and useful for the members, they meet twice monthly with the opportunity to attend one of two meetings on that day. “The point of the meeting is not to be chatty, but to really listen to who’s speaking and see if we can help them,” said Mills. Pati gives every one of the members a blank notebook so that as the ladies enjoy lunch and listen intently to the speaker, they can take notes. “The whole purpose of the meeting is that I want to be able to market you and support you,” said Pati. The meeting commenced with a prayer and a pledge followed by Pati’s instructions. “You’ll say who you are, what you’re working on, what your needs are,” she said. Each attendee has three minutes to give their elevator speech to the group. “It’s very important that you contact at least five people that were at the meeting that you had at least a little bit of a connection with,” said Pati to the group. If the person doesn’t answer, she encouraged them to leave a short message simply asking if there is anything they can help with. Pati wants the connections to be honest and organic. I even got a call or two in the weeks following the meeting. After the meeting, Mills spoke openly and fervently about the group. She asked me, “What if you met the best of the best – you met the leaders of the community?” The Greneteam Gals is her answer to that question. If you’re interested in attending the next meeting or becoming a member, find their group by searching ‘Greneteam Gals’ on Facebook.

For Meagan and Colin Wells, the thought of bringing people together and supporting downtown business was at the forefront when imagining Union Taproom. Union will be Polk County’s first self-pour taproom featuring 40 taps of rotating craft beer, cider, wine, cold brew coffee, and kombucha. Union Taproom has a motto – PYOB (Pour Your Own Beer). The PYOB process is simple. Guests present their ID and form of payment at the check-in counter to be scanned to verify age and start a tab. They are given an RFID bracelet that is linked to their tab, allowing them to pour as much or as little as they would like. After grabbing a glass, thirsty patrons can head over to the tap wall. Above each tap is a tablet displaying the price per ounce, location and history of the brew, ABV (Alcohol By Volume), and IBU (International Bitterness Units). Guests pour what they’d like using your bracelet to activate the tap, allowing craft beer adventurers to taste before committing to a whole glass of something they may not love. When you’re ready to leave, return the bracelet and close out the tab. The tap system has safeguards built in to avoid overserving. When you start a tab, the system will cut you off after 32 oz. From there, the guest can visit one of their staff who will do a visual check before allowing for more ounces. “Having 40 choices is really exciting,” said Colin. Union will focus on craft brews from around the country with a few domestics and Florida beers available. “It’s like an adult candy store,” said Meagan. The Taproom will feature a lounge area with warm leather seating and an assortment of funky furniture. The industrial concrete floors and mix-matched lighting fixtures are just the atmosphere Meagan envisioned for the space. “I just want a loft type of feel,” she said. A warm, comfy, casual environment that invites everyone to stop in for a drink. Along with the lounge there will be the main seating area with live acoustic music set up against the back wall on the weekends. They will have trivia every second Thursday of the month starting in October. To keep the good times rolling for you or the kids, Union will have an area with board and card games. A sectioned off, but not entirely partitioned backroom will have a long table seating around 14 for larger parties that want a bit of privacy. That space leads to their back patio which will have a pergola and outdoor seating. Their back entrance conveniently leads to the parking garage. Union Taproom is family-friendly and pet-friendly. Though they will not serve food, some downtown eateries have agreed to deliver, and patrons are invited to bring in their own food. Kids will be able to cheers’ as well with Union’s cooler of bottled craft sodas. “One of the things that we wanted to do was be part of Destination Downtown. There’s a lot of great business downtown. While we have people here, we want to introduce them to the other businesses,” said Colin. With so many fantastic dining options, he added, “The more we can push people to those business helps everybody downtown – it helps us, it helps them.” Meagan was born in Miami but has spent all of her life here. Colin moved here 15 years ago from Pittsburg. He and Meagan have been married for ten years and have two daughters, aged four and ten. Meagan, a hairstylist for seven years, most recently at Posh Salon Suites, explained that Colin’s family lives in Aiken, South Carolina. There is a similar self-pour taproom there, The Alley Downtown Taproom. When they visited a few years ago, they fell in love with the concept. Meagan said, “My first thought was ‘Oh my gosh, Winter Haven has to have this.’” The wheels began to turn on the concept and more and more they had conversations about it. There was no one moment where they committed to opening it, but the momentum of incremental progress sealed the deal. The pair thought over a million different names. Meagan said, “We want to bring everyone in Winter Haven together and Union kind of fit that.” Colin added that in other settings where you might only interact amongst your friends, the self-pour element forces you to mutual ground to grab a beer. They hope to see people interact, recommend beers to each other, and ultimately form new friendships. “Winter Haven is experiencing so much growth now. People are investing in the community, we want to be a part of that,” said Colin. The Wells are excited to bring this new concept to Winter Haven and Polk. They expect to draw people from surrounding communities inside and out of the county. “While we have them here, we can introduce them to this beautiful city – this vibrant growing downtown area,” he said. There is no official grand opening date yet set, but they are fairly confident it will be in August. The Wells extend an invite to you and yours, “Come have a beer!” Union Taproom 245 West Central Avenue, Suite 102, Winter Haven (863) 268-4921 info@uniontaproomwh.com Uniontaproomwh.com FB @uniontaproom IG @uniontaproom Photos by Amy Sexson